Influenza A (H1N1) Latest News Updates

last SG · 2009-04-30T00:09:04+00:00

Two year old dies after tested positive for H1N1SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) is investigating the death of a two-year-old child who tested positiv...

Arapahoe SG

well if it is effective than its fine but i am not sure is going to be effective since its already in part of asia and Europe.

What is interesting is that this modern time we can actually map the spread and the timeline from both Sars and H1N1. Contrast of earlier reporting certainly help to slow down and a big ocean divide certainly help.

Was wondering why the student visited NY of all states?

Arapahoe SG

At the rate this is going, I think the virus has got a high chance of mutating into something even more deadly.

Nobody seems to take it seriously.

No travel restrictions and all that to the US.

oh on the contrary i think they are concern but don't want to press the HOT BUTTON. Keeping it low profile.

QX179R SG

WHO to discuss with scientists pandemic criteria

The World Health Organisation will consult scientists over the coming weeks to clear up the criteria needed to declare a pandemic with the new H1N1 flu virus.

The move follows appeals by several countries last week for more caution before moving up a step from the current phase five alert to declaring a pandemic.

Under the current rulebook, phase six would involve a purely geographical step with sustained community spread in at least two regions.

But officials said last week they are also taking into account issues such as the severity of the virus.

Most of the cases of the flu have been relatively mild.

The virus has so far infected some 13 thousand people in at least 48 countries, causing 95 deaths.

What about the spread of the virus in the Asia Pacific region?

938LIVE asks this question to Peter Cordingley, Public Information Officer at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific in Manila.

--938Live

QX179R SG

71 close contacts on same flight as Singapore's 1st H1N1 confirmed case

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health has identified 71 close contacts among the passengers on the same flight as the country's first confirmed H1N1 patient.

Flight SQ25 was flying from New York to Singapore via Frankfurt. Twenty-three passengers disembarked at Frankfurt.

Of the remaining 48 passengers, eight Singaporeans and 14 foreigners are in Singapore and will be quarantined at home and given anti-viral drugs.

Another 23 passengers who were foreigners were apparently on transit at Changi Airport as there were no records of them entering Singapore. Another three entered Singapore, but have left for Malaysia.

Singapore authorities have informed the World Health Organisation of the situation.

Singapore's first confirmed case was on a study trip to New York as a student of the Singapore Management University.

A student and a lecturer who came back with her had also turned up at Tan Tock Seng hospital because of non-specific symptoms. The remaining 18 students on the same study trip are still in North America.

The boyfriend and maid of the confirmed case have been identified as close contacts. Her boyfriend has been warded at Tan Tock Seng Hospital because of non-specific symptoms. He will be quarantined upon discharge. Her maid has already been sent to a quarantine centre.

The patient's seven family members have not been quarantined because they are either overseas or have not been in sustained contact with her.

Hospital and ambulance staff who served the case will also not be quarantined because they were in full protective gear when managing the case.

This applies to the doctor and the staff who treated her at a clinic as well. The doctor was in full protective gear and the clinic staff who served her had only brief contact with her.

Other staff members were sitting more than two metres away. There was one other patient in the clinic, but was seated more than two metres away from the patient.

Singapore's immigration authorities are now on the look out for all other close contacts who are currently not in Singapore.

In the event they enter Singapore before the end of the quarantine period on June 2, they will be quarantined for the remaining period.

Authorities will also keep tabs on those who are serving their quarantine orders in case they leave Singapore during that period.

-- CNA/vm

QX179R SG

Singapore confirms 3 more cases of H1N1

Singapore has confirmed three more H1N1 cases here.

The second confirmed case is a 43-year-old Singapore Permanent Resident who returned to Singapore from San Francisco via Manila on Tuesday at 1750 hours.

She was on Singapore Airlines flight SQ 917 and was seated at 33H.

She became unwell while on board.

The third confirmed case is a 28-year-old American woman working in Singapore.

She returned to Singapore from Honolulu via Tokyo on Tuesday at 2353 hours, on United Airlines flight UA 803.

She was seated at 33C and became unwell on 26th May.

The fourth confirmed case is a 28-year-old Singaporean man who returned to Singapore from Chicago via Hong Kong on 25 May at 0036hrs.

He was on United Airlines flight UA 895 and was seated at 55H.

He became unwell on 25 May.

The patients are currently being treated at the Communicable Disease Centre at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

In a statement, the Health Ministry said their symptoms are relatively mild and all the patients are in stable condition.

Contact tracing of their close contacts, including passengers on the same flights, is ongoing.

They will be quarantined and provided with antiviral prophylaxis.

The Health Ministry says that passengers within three rows in front and behind the cases who have not been contacted by MOH yet should call the MOH hotline at 1800-333 9999.

The affected rows for SQ 917 are 30-36 ; for UA 803, the affected rows are 30-36 and for UA 895, the affected rows are 52-58.

The Health Ministry reminds those who have travelled in the preceding 7 days to affected countries to seek immediate medical attention once they develop influenza-like symptoms.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has also reminded all medical practitioners and healthcare institutions to continue to be vigilant for suspect cases.

--938Live

Kyutake SG

HOLIDAYS HOLIDAYS~~~~~~ YAY YAY YAY YAY~~~ *sings shalalalaLA*

Arapahoe SG

i was surprise by the sudden influx of new cases....

QX179R SG

The patient, a 24-year-old woman in the southern province of Guangdong, had been in close contact with a confirmed carrier of the virus.

The woman works as a make-up artist at a photo studio, and came in touch with the confirmed case when he and his girlfriend had wedding photos taken earlier this week.

On Wednesday, she developed a headache and a fever, and after she was hospitalised, health officials said she was a suspected H1N1 flu case.

The health ministry said the confirmed case was a 28-year-old Chinese-American man employed at a hospital in New York, who had flown to Guangzhou.

The World Health Organization, in its most recent report, said 13,398 people in 48 countries have been infected with the H1N1 virus since it was first uncovered last month.

There have been 95 deaths.

--938Live

QX179R SG

Three clear H1N1 test

Three people who were in close contact with Singapore's first influenza A H1N1 victim have cleared the tests for the virus strain.

They are: a lecturer from Singapore Management University, Associate Professor Mark Chong Yiew Kim, a 22-year old third year SMU business student, and the victim's boyfriend.

In an update, SMU says, the faculty member and student are now on home quarantine while the boyfriend, at Tan Tock Seng Hospital's Communicable Disease Centre or CDC.

The victim, a 22-year old student from the university returned home after a study trip in New York on Tuesday morning.

She is in a stable condition at the CDC and is expected to be well enough to go home in five days.

The university adds, it is in contact will all 17 students who have extended their trip in North America after the Business Study Misson.

They are well, says SMU.

--938Live

QX179R SG

MOH - 31 HQO Served, Contact Tracing Still Ongoing

As of 11 this morning, the Health Ministry has served 31 home quarantine orders to those who were in close contact with the four confirmed cases of H1N1 flu patients.

But MOH says they're all doing well.

It adds that the four patients have relatively mild symptoms and are expected to recover uneventfully.

Meanwhile, contact tracing is still ongoing for those who're on the same flights back as the latest three victims and in close contact with them.

MOH has managed to identify 122 passengers, of this, or 61 had entered Singapore.

MOH has contacted 18 of them and will place them under home quarantine.

Passengers who've not yet been contacted by MOH should call the hotline at 1800-333-99-99.

These are passengers travelling three rows in front of and behind the affected rows of cases.

The affected rows are 30 to 36 onboard SQ 917 and UA 803, both of which arrived in Singapore on Tuesday this week.

For UA 895 which arrived on Monday, the affected rows are 52 to 58.

In an update on the four flu patients, MOH says the first case - a 22-year-old female SMU student is now in stable condition.

Her fever has subsided and she's now into her third day of Tamiflu treatment.

Her boyfriend meanwhile, has been cleared of the infection and was discharged last night and placed on home quarantine.

All 71 people in close contact with her have been accounted for.

25 who're in Singapore are now under home quarantine, 10 of them are Singaporeans.

For the 28-year-old Singaporean male who arrived here Monday from Chicago via Hong Kong, it took two visits to the G-P before he was diagnosed to have the H1N1 flu.

Feeling unwell the day he arrived, he visited a GP, but was given an MC to stay home the next day.

Still feeling ill, he consulted the GP again on Wednesday and was referred to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

But apart from the two visits to the GP, MOH says he stayed at home the rest of the time.

His wife is also under home quarantine and is currently well.

The third case - a 28-year-old American female expatriate, was referred by her company doctor to TTSH on Wednesday, the day after she landed from Honolulu via Tokyo.

She had become unwell while still onboard her United Airlines flight.

Home quarantine orders have also been served on her two local close contacts - her friend and maid.

As for the last case - a 43-year-old female Singapore PR who also arrived on Wednesday, from San Francisco via Manila, she was referred to TTSH by her GP the day after.

Her friend and two office colleagues have been placed on home quarantine.

--938Live

QX179R SG

Global number of H1N1 infections exceed 15000

Health officials around the world are battling to stop the spread of the H1N1 flu.

Global infections have passed the 15 thousand mark and more countries have announced first cases.

Figures released yesterday by the World Health Organization showed that the virus has infected some 15,500 people in 53 countries so far.

The new tally showed that several countries including the Czech Republic and Uruguay have joined the list of countries affected.

Most of the new cases were reported by the US, with over 11 hundred new infections.

The number of deaths has also risen to 99 after two more deaths were reported by Mexico and one each by Canada and the US.

But according to figures released by individual governments, the virus has now killed more than 110 people worldwide.

--938Live

QX179R SG

Singapore confirms fifth case of H1N1 flu

The Health Ministry has confirmed Singapore's fifth infection of the H1N1 flu.

This is according to an update on the Health Ministry's website.

MOH said they are doing well and will recover soon.

So far 57 cases have been investigated.

Forty-two tested negative, while 10 tested positive for the usual seasonal flu strains.

--938Live

QX179R SG

Three of five confirmed H1N1 cases discharged from CDC

SINGAPORE : Three of Singapore's five confirmed Influenza A (H1N1) flu cases were discharged from the Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Singapore's first case - the 22-year-old Singapore Management University student - is into her fifth day of Tamiflu treatment at the CDC.

The Health Ministry said she is well and in stable condition.

As of Sunday, the Ministry has served 82 Home Quarantine Orders (HQOs) to close contacts of the five confirmed cases.

68 others who have been in close contact with the affected patients are already out of the country.

The Ministry is currently tracing the contacts of the fifth case, a 22-year-old Singaporean woman who had travelled to the US from May 13-28.

Some 20 contacts, including five family members and 15 flight passengers, have been identified.

Her family members are currently well and have been placed under HQO until June 6.

The Ministry has so far managed to contact only four of the 15 flight passengers, and HQOs will be served to them.

Five other passengers are known to be outside Singapore.

The Ministry has alerted the World Health Organisation (WHO) on all the close contacts who are out of country.

In addition, all available information on connecting flights has been given to WHO's relevant authority for follow up action.

Contact particulars have also been provided to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to notify the Ministry should they turn up at the border checkpoints.

The Ministry said it is monitoring the situation closely and will update the public on any new developments.

- CNA/ms

QX179R SG

Khaw says communal spread of H1N1 likely to happen soon

SINGAPORE : Singapore has confirmed its fifth case of the Influenza A (H1N1) flu virus.

The patient is a 22-year-old Singaporean woman who had travelled to the US from May 13 to 28.

Some 20 contacts, including five family members and 15 flight passengers, have been identified for home quarantine via contact tracing.

But the Health Ministry has so far managed to contact only four of the 15 passengers.

The Ministry has alerted the World Health Organisation (WHO) on all the close contacts who are out of the country. In addition, all available information on connecting flights has been given to WHO's relevant authority for follow up action. Contact particulars have also been provided to Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to notify the Ministry should they turn up at the border checkpoints.

Five other passengers are known to be outside Singapore.

Meanwhile Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has said that while the H1N1 strain remains relatively mild, the communal spread of the virus is likely to happen soon.

Expect more H1N1 cases, says Mr Khaw. It is just a matter of time before the communal spread of the virus will take place, as patients would have had contact with numerous people in the community.

Mr Khaw said: "As some experts in WHO put it, one-third of mankind will be infected over the next two years. One-third of mankind in Singapore means one million people will be down with it."

But authorities said this is not a numbers game and the bigger worry is if the strain becomes more virulent.

H1N1 carriers without symptoms are also a worry.

At the moment, Singapore scientists are keeping tabs on the virus to check if it evolves and mutates into something more dangerous.

Another concern is the availability of hospital beds.

Mr Khaw said: "If every H1N1 patient is to be hospitalised as a rule when it is not necessary, then you will be (taking) up a lot of hospital beds, when I have to look after cancer patients, heart patients...and so on.

"At the moment, when the numbers are small we can afford to go all out and hunt every contact, but it is a matter of time when there are many more cases, then we no longer can play this, the way we have been doing the last few days.

"So, the important part of health care becomes looking for people who are high risk - pregnant, those who have asthma and other illnesses."

Mr Khaw added that the alert level will not be raised to Orange based on the number of cases alone, but on factors such as changes to the virulence and evolution of the virus.

As of Sunday, the Ministry has served 82 Home Quarantine Orders (HQOs) to close contacts of the five confirmed cases. 68 others who have been in close contact with the affected patients are already out of the country. The Ministry has also lined up other facilities for quarantine purposes, if needed.

And as the school holidays have already started, many would be planning vacations overseas. Mr Khaw said Singaporeans should really try and avoid going to North America, if they can do so.

Meanwhile, all five H1N1 patients remain stable. Three have been discharged but the first H1N1 case is still undergoing treatment in hospital.

- CNA/ms

QX179R SG

Two more H1N1 cases confirmed

The Health Ministry has confirmed the sixth and seventh case of H-1-N-1 flu in Singapore.

But both men suffer relatively mild symptoms and are in stable condition.

M-O-H says the sixth case is a 36-year-old Singaporena male who was in Manila on a business trip from the 18th to the 29th of May.

He arrived in Singapore last Friday on Singapore Airlines S-Q 917 at nearly 6pm.

It appears that he was well during the flight and only showed symptoms in the evening, the following day.

That same day, he had gone out briefly in the morning before returning home in the afternoon.

The man told the Health Ministry that a passenger seated next to him in row 17 appeared unwell and was coughing during the flight.

The Health Ministry is trying to identify the ill passenger to assess his health condition.

The 7th case is a 30-year-old Australian male tourist who had travelled to Chicago, Detriot and New York last month.

He developed symptoms on May 26th while in New York.

He arrived in Singapore early this morning via Frankfurt, on SQ 25 in row 54, and on arrival, went straight to Raffles Medical clinic at the Changi Airport transit area.

Meanwhile, the government has spelt out the roles of the new National Scientific Committee on H1N1 flu.

To be chaired by Professor K Satku, Director of Medical Services at MOH, the committee is to study in detail the local H1N1 flu cases and propose treatment guidelines and control measures on how to handle the situation.

It is also to conduct genomic analysis of the virus, compare the results with international data and track any changes over time.

This will enable the committee to know if the virus has mutated, or remains mild, not unlike the seasonal flu in terms of public health impact.

Singapore can then adapt its containment measures to focus on treatement of the at-risk groups and seriously ill cases.

The 11-member committee comprises healthcare professionals from the clinical, scientific and public health areas.

They include

Professor Edison Liu, from the Genome Institute of Singapore,

Associate Professor Leo Yee Sin from Tan Tock Seng Hospital's Communicable Disease Centre and

Associate Professor Vincent Chow from the microbiology department at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

--938Live

QX179R SG

TTSH opens up temp facility for H1N1 screening

Tan Tock Seng Hospital, which carries out all screenings for influenza A H1N1, has created a temporary facility to process all suspected patients.

This is in anticipation of an increase in the number of H1N1 cases.

The facility at the Communicable Disease Centre 2 or CDC2 was originally set up to screen Sars patients.

All patients who come for screening will be separated according to their recent travel history.

Those who've just returned from Canada, the United States and Mexico, Japan, Spain and the United Kingdom, will be screened at the temporary facility.

Those who've not been to these six countries, and have flu-like symptoms, will be screened at Tan Tock Seng's Emergency Department decontamination unit.

The whole testing process at the new facility will take about 12 hours.

Those who test positive will be admitted to CDC2.

The building can admit up to 50 patients, but more space can be made available, if needed.

--938Live

Fantagf SG

don't if anyone is betting when will this end?

Chew Bakar SG

don't if anyone is betting when will this end?

Not soon.

Fantagf SG

Not soon.

May be last the same period of time as SARS. I pity those work in govt hospital.

Chew Bakar SG

May be last the same period of time as SARS. I pity those work in govt hospital.

That's the risk of healthcare providers. This one is going to be tough as America is not as co-operative as those countries affected by SARS. Also the economy is not helping.

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